Electronic commerce cards are frequently used by consumers to make purchases from merchants over the Internet. Electronic commerce cards include credit cards, debit cards, prepaid purchase cards, travel cards, or any other system that can be used instead of cash to purchase goods or services. One example of an authentication system enables a cardholder to associate a password or other identifying information with an electronic commerce card. To make a purchase online, the consumer must provide the password or other identifying information associated with the electronic commerce card. This ensures that the person possessing the electronic commerce card is actually authorized to use the electronic commerce card.
Electronic commerce card associations can encourage merchants to support authentication systems by offering more favorable terms to merchants for authenticated transactions. However, for an authentication system to be successful, it must be adopted by a large number of cardholders. Previously, card issuers have required unauthenticated cardholders to enroll in the authentication system, a procedure referred to as card activation, in order to complete a purchase. This requirement disrupts consumers' shopping process and can lead to lost sales for the merchant.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide credit card associations, merchants, card issuers, and other parties with a system enabling cardholders to activate their cards at any convenient opportunity. It is further desirable that the system provides cardholders with a way to contact the card issuer for support.